[ LETTERS ]

No modern concept is more anachronistic than the sovereignty of a state over its people. Just like the outdated concept of the ever-growing economy, the concept of the modern state was pulled out of a hat in the 19th century.

Imperialist states would draw border lines haphazardly across Africa, Asia and the Americas, cutting continents up like a cake to be consumed.

Never mind that those “cakes” were home to people who did not like each other, such as the Shiites and Sunnis in Iraq, Christians and Muslims in Nigeria or, closer to home, Chinese, Uighur Muslims and Tibetans in China.

This outdated concept continues to bring misery. The people of the Western Sahara, Palestinians and Taiwanese share the desire to live in a state not controlled by outsiders. If two nations want to marry, let them: like East and West Germany. If two countries want to divorce, let them: like the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

No dusty old treaties should determine where Taiwanese live — the people should decide. If the nation wishes to marry China, OK.

However, if Taiwanese decide not to, then China and the world should accept that the only sovereign over the nation is its people.